Twisting and winding apparatus



Aug. 8, 1961 c. P. GEEN TWISTING AND WINDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1957 Aug. 8, 1961 c. PQGEEN TWISTING AND WINDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1957 Aug. 8, 1961 c. P. GEEN 2,995,003

TWISTING AND WINDING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .;E lllllllllllllllllll United States Patent This application is a continuation in part of my c0- pending application Serial No. 558,330 filed January 10, 1956, now Patent No. 2,924,065.

In such earlier application, I have disclosed a high speed device for twisting textile fibers and the like which is characterized, fundamentally, by its compactness and by its ability to operate at speeds considerably higher than the operating speeds of previously known twisting devices. The last such characteristic constitutes an obvious improvement, and the reduction in unit size has made it possible to increase the number of spindles per machine for more efficient utilization of the available space within a mill, which might operate anywhere from ten thousand to over fifty thousand spindles. Because of the multiplication factor thus introduced, even a seemingly small reduction in size and/or increase in speed per spindle will obviously have a very substantial effect on the mill production.

The compactness of this prior device results principally from the elimination of ballooning of the yarn, and in the complete machine disclosed in such application, this is achieved by the use of a shroud or cover over the package to contain therewithin the yarn or other filament as it is guided to the receiver. The absence of ballooning also permits an increase in the speed of operation, with the speed factor further being enhanced by the fact that only a minimum number of wearing parts are required in the structure. In order to build fairly large packages, a receiver-traversing guide is needed and I have previously used a magnetic builder mechanism comprising a magnetizable shoe or guide movable along a track on the inside of the shroud and reciprocatory magnet-carrying ring encircling the shroud in spaced relation. This form of builder provides excellent control of the package, without a wearing drive, and permits the use of a guide of very small inward projection, which is important since the overall diameter of the unit must accommodate twice the lateral extent or inner projection of Whatever type of traversing guide is employed.

To complete this brief description of my prior twisting device, the spindle is directly connected to high speed drive means, the shroud is part of a twist head mounted freely for rotation about the spindle and carrying a nose or axial guide as well as the traversing guide thereby to form the crank arm in the filament, a magnetic coupling is provided between the spindle and the twist head so that the latter is induced to follow the former, and control of the twist inserted in the filament is realized by means for adjustably magnetically braking rotation of the twist head.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the filament guiding means in such construction and the means whereby traverse of the package is provided and controlled.

One object of the invention is to provide a new form of support for the filament guides to serve the function of the noted shroud in a more convenient and less costly manner.

Another object is to provide improved guide support means, in such twisting device combination, which is of open design to permit convenient and easy threading, inspection, and servicing of the unit.

It is an additional object to provide such an open type of guide support which is precisely balanced for smooth rotation at very high speeds.

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In operation of the magnetic builder mechanism discussed in the above, the influence of the surrounding magnets must of course be sufficient to overcome the centrifugal force of the movable guide or shoe, and it has been found that with the lightest shoe possible, such force is on the order of three times the force of gravity at the maximum speed of the unit. The outward force on the twist shoe at the high speeds of operation desired and made possible by my prior invention is thus considerable, and together with a certain amount of yarn tension, constitutes drag loss. Such loss could be overcome by raising the speed of the drive means for the spindle, but this is costly compensation.

It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the drag losses by a simple and economical expedient. The substitution of an open design support for the previously employed shroud does of course have the effect of cutting down on the drag, by mere reduction in Weight, but the present improvements go further in, more particularly, utilizing a motor effect further to reduce the drag of the support.

It is also an object to provide a guide support and magnetic builder control means of such construction and arrangement as co-operatively to induce rotation of the former by electric motor action.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a twisting and winding device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the upper portion of the FIG. 1 assembly, the line of the section being indicated at 2-2 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section as viewed from the plane of the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the yoke assembly;

FIG. 5 is a fragmented elevational view of the twist shoe or movable filament guide carried by such yoke;

FIG. 6 is a fragmented view of the laminated ring of the magnetic builder control mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1, but illustrating a modification;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a different field winding arrangement for the magnetic builder mechanrsrn;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on the plane indicated at 99 in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is -a partial wiring diagram showing more clearly the manner in which the coils of the builder field structure are connected for energization.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the complete twisting device shown in FIG. 1 comprises a spindle 1, high speed drive means 2 having a direct connection to the spindle, a twist head assembly 3 mounted freely for rotation about the spindle, stationary permanent magnets 4 for braking the twist head, and magnetic builder mechanism 5. In this general form of the components and organization thereof, the device thus resembles closely the twister disclosed in my application Serial No. 558,- 330, for example, in FIG. 20 of the same, and the internal base mechanism is, in fact, exactly the same, whereby the twist head base 6 is mounted on ball bearings and is magnetically coupled to the directly driven spindle. Since reference may be had to my noted other application for such details, which do not per se form a part of the present improvements, they will not be specifically illustrated and described here.

In the new combination, however, the twist head assembly comprises a tubular yoke having parallel legs 7 and 8 and an outer end connector or bridge 9. Such yoke, of symmetrical shape and made of metal, is mounted on the base 6 of the twist head for rotation therewith about the spindle axis, the attachment being accomplished in the FIG. 1 structure by press fitting the ends of the yoke legs on studs 10 carried by the base. A bobbin 11 is shown supported on the spindle, while dashed lines 12 indicate the shape and size of a completed package of the yarn or other filamentary material wound on the bobbin. The finished package diameter of course determines the lateral spacing of the yoke legs, which is the diameter of the cylinder of revolution defined by the legs upon rotation, and the end connecting portion 9 is likewise located for adequate clearance, above the top end of the bobbin. The length and width of the yoke should naturally be selected to clear the largest size package to be handled in the device.

The bobbin carries an internal guide 13 which is engaged over the upper tapered end of the spindle, and a usual driving dog 14 is interengaged between the lower end of the bobbin and spindle. Such conventional mounting permits the bobbin to be lifted or withdrawn axially, and when the upper guide leaves the spindle, the bobbin may be tipped for removal from the device, without of course requiring the yoke to be detached.

As illustrated, the bridge or outer end portion 9 of the tubular yoke is shaped to an outward angular form and at the center thereof, which coincides with the spindle axis, a sleeve 15 is received and secured, for example, by welding, in an opening provided for the same. A hardened yarn guide 16 is pressed into this sleeve, with its passageway 17 for the yarn directed along the spindle axis and being flared at both ends. The flare at the inner end is greater than at the outer end and sufficient for warping of the yarn smoothly to an appreciable angle. In the arrangement shown, the yarn Y extends from this axial guide substantially parallel to one side of the angular yoke end.

A guide pulley 18 is mounted within the yoke leg 7 adjacent the upper end thereof and an opening 19 is provided at the inner face of such leg portion for passage of the yarn from the axial or nose guide 16 into this leg through the opening and about the pulley. The yarn, now enclosed by the leg, is directed downwardly to a twist shoe 20 made of magnetizable material, such as powdered iron, which is adapted to be reciprocated on the leg 7 over a portion substantially coextensive with the bobbin. As shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the shoe is formed with a tongue 21 projecting through an inner slot 22 in the leg and an integral cylindrical wall portion 23 which slidably encircles the leg. The shoe is further formed with an arcuate outer base 24, for a purpose to be described.

This twist shoe has a guide passage 25 for the yarn commencing with a bell mouth at the top of the tongue within the yoke leg and curving smoothly to a discharge opening displaced substantially ninety degrees at its inner face opposed to the bobbin. The yarn passes directly from the twist shoe to the bobbin, with the nose guide, pulley and shoe forming a crank arm for inserting the desired twist. The yarn is thus positively contained, as contrasted to ballooning, and it will be obvious from the drawing that the axially movable guide or twist shoe has only a very small projection inwardly of the yoke. This last characteristic enhances the compactness of the unit, in reducing the space needed for clearance between the guide and the package.

7 The other leg 8 of the yoke carries an internal plug 26 at its upper end directly opposite the guide pulley 18 and with its weight equal to that of the latter to balance the same. Such leg is also provided with a dummy shoe 27 to balance the twist shoe 20, with the dummy having substantially the same formation, made of the same ma terial, and being reciprocable along a slot 28 in the manner of the twist shoe. A through hole 29 is formed in the tongue of the dummy shoe 27 to correspond to the guide passage 25 of the twist shoe, so that the weights of the two are identical. As will appear, the dummy shoe moves in unison with the twist shoe, and by virtue of this loading of the other yoke leg 8, the yoke is precisely balanced about the spindle axis, which is its axis of rotation. Accordingly, the yoke is rotatable at extremely high speeds without vibration or drag due to uneven load distribution on the support for the base 6 of the twist head.

Reciprocation of the twist shoe, and tracking of the dummy shoe is provided and controlled by the magnetic builder mechanism 5 comprising a support ring 30 carried at the end of an arm 31 and surrounding the yoke in outward spaced relation. The ring mounts magnetic field producing structure made up of a circular laminated iron core 32 having inwardly enlarged openings or slots 33 spaced about its inner periphery, as shown clearly by the fragment illustrated in FIG. 6, and a plurality of coils 34 wound thereon respectively in such slots. A number of fasteners 35 secure such assembly to the ring, and a fiber rub ring 36 is fastened to the bottom of the support ring. This rub ring has an opening of smaller diameter than the support ring and is accordingly more proximate to the legs of the yoke to act as a safety device preventing the yoke from striking the field structure in the event of a badly unbalanced bobbin. The lateral curvature of the base or outer portions of the shoes provides uniform air gaps between the same and the magnetic core.

When energized, this structure produces a magnetic field which will influence the magentizable twist shoe 2i), and the dummy shoe 27, to the extent that movement of the field upand down will cause the shoes correspondingly to move on the yoke and hence relative to the bobbin 11 or other filament receiver mounted on the spindle. The support ring 30 may be actuated thus to reciprocate the same by connection to a piston extension E which is reciprocated by a motorized hydraulic unit H, as and in the manner disclosed in my aforesaid co-pending application, or by other appropriate means.

It has been found that with a yoke as described, a motor action to assist in turning of the twist head can be produced by energizing the field coils 34 with alternating, rather than direct, current. The yoke thus forms a single turn armature and the coils are wound as in an induction motor to provide, with the alternating current supply, a field which revolves in the direction of desired rotation of the yoke. Such revolving field is cut by the yoke (rotor conductor) at a speed directly proportional to the frequency of the alternating current supply and inversely proportional to the number of poles produced by the field winding and will induce an alternating electromotive force in the yoke and hence, in accord with alternating current motor theory, a turning torque.

Accordingly, a further drive force is exerted on the twist head assembly, supplementing that provided by the magnetic coupling of the same to the spindle and resulting fnom the pull on the yarn or filament being wound around the bobbin. Most of the drag on the twist head is encountered in starting of the device and it is here that the motor effect helps particularly to cut down on the losses. The range of speed over which such motor action is produced is, as indicated previously, proportional to the source frequency and the number of poles, whereby the range can be varied by adjustment of these parameters.

This is in contrast to an assembly wherein the builder field is stationary, as would result from the use of permanent magnets or coils energized by direct current. In such case, turning of the yoke would produce a braking generator effect and thus add to the drag. However, with the construction I have herein described, it is possible touse both an open design support for the filament guides, with its advantages in dofiing and the like, and an efficient magnetic builder. The reduction in drag realized in the new construction, moreover, permits a reduction in the size of the magnetic field producing structure, which in turn, enhances the compactness of the unit and high speed operation of the same.

In the modification shown in FIG. 7, the yoke is removably attached to the base 6 of the twist head by the use of studs 37 carrying small spring loaded detents 38 which engage in holes in the legs of the yoke when the latter are slipped on the studs.

The magnetic field structure of FIG. 3 has, as will be evident, an even number of poles and is usable with any single phase two wire supply system. A multiple phase supply can also be used to produce the revolving field and in FIGS. 8-10, I have ilustrated this by showing the design and connections for operation with a three phase supply, since all mills are equipped with such a system for the drive of fairly large motors and the like.

Only the magnetic builder assembly differs and here the field structure comprises an outer ring or band support 40 having a series of laminated pole pieces 41, of T-shape, secured to the inner periphery in radially projecting, circumferentiaily spaced relation. A coil 42 is wound on each pole piece, a total of twenty-seven being illustrated, and each group of three successive coils is similarly connected to conductors L L and L of a three phase, three wire system. The coils may be thus connected either Y or delta, with the former arrangement shown, most clearly in FIG. l0, and it will be noted that the twist and dummy shoes 20 and 27, respectively, cover only about one and one third poles, so that they are always in correct position for maximum attraction as the field revolves. Such three phase operation of course provides a less abrupt shifting of the resultant force of attraction, whereby smoother mechanical movement is obtained, the point of application of such force shifting midway between the first and second poles of each group to midway between the second and third poles at twice the supply frequency, and the field being of constant strength.

It will be understood that the new device is operative in the manner set forth in my co-pending application Serial No. 558,330 and is, apart from the features described as novel herein, subject to the same modifications. For example, control of the inserted twist is realized by variably braking rotation of the twist head to regulate its speed relative to the speed of the package, and this may be accomplished either by the permanent magnets 4 shown here in FIG. 1 or by electro-magnetic means, in accord with the disclosure of my aforesaid prior application. The spindle may be driven either by an electric motor or by a hydraulic unit such as shown in my Patent No. 2,663,541, again as pointed out in the other application. The latter also shows a circular machine incorporating a number of the prior twisters, with common hydraulic actuation of the various magnetic builders, and it will be clear that the new units may be substituted in such machine.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details dmcribed, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a filament twisting and winding apparatus including a rotary receiver, a twist head having a base assembly mounted for rotation on the axis of said receiver, a yoke of conductive material having legs secured to such base assembly in a plane which includes the axis of the receiver, said yoke further having a leg-connecting por- 6 tion and the legs of the yoke being in equidistant laterally spaced parallel relation to such axis, first filament guide means carried by the leg-connecting portion of the yoke beyond an end of the receiver and in alignment with the axis thereof, second filament guide means reciprocable on a leg of the yoke thereby to traverse the space occupied by the receiver outwardly of the same, said second guide means being made of magnetizable material, magnetic field producing means operative to produce a revolving field encircling the yoke, whereby an alternating electromotive force is induced in the yoke tending to turn the same, and means for moving said magnetic field producing means to reciprocate the second filament guide means relative to the receiver, thereby to control distribution of a filament winding on the receiver in operation of the apparatus.

2. In filament twisting and winding apparatus wherein a filament is fed axially toward a rotary receiver, a twist head having a base assembly mounted for rotation on the axis of said receiver, a yoke of conductive material having legs secured to such base assembly in a plane which includes the axis of the receiver, said yoke further having a leg-connecting portion and the legs of the yoke being in equidistant laterally spaced parallel relation to such axis, filament guide means carried by a leg of said yoke and being reciprocable therealong to traverse the space occupied by the receiver outwardly of the same, magnetic field producing means operative to produce a revolving field encircling the yoke, whereby an alternating clectromotive force is induced in the yoke tending to turn the same, said guide means being magnetizable, and means for moving the magnetic field producing means to reciprocate the guide means and thereby determine distribution of the filament winding on the receiver.

3. In filament twisting and winding apparatus wherein a filament is fed axially toward a rotary receiver, a closed conductive loop arranged about the receiver and mounted for rotation about the axis of the same, magnetic field producing means encircling said loop in outwardly spaced relation and operative to produce a revolving magnetic field thereabout, whereby an alternating electromotive force tending to turn the loop is induced therein, magnetizable filament guide means carried by said loop within such field and being freely movable along a path parallel to the receiver, the filament passing from said guide means to the receiver, and means for reciprocating the field producing means to cause the guide means to reciprocate relative to the receiver and thereby control distribution of the filament winding on the same.

4. In filament twisting and winding apparatus including a spindle adapted to mount a filament receiver, drive means for said spindle, and a base supported freely for rotation on the spindle axis, a yoke including spaced legs secured to said base to extend about the space occupied by a receiver on the spindle, first filament guide means carried by said yoke in alignment with the spindle axis, spaced beyond an end of such receiver space, second filament guide means supported by a leg of said yoke, said first and second guide means being operative to direct a filament in the apparatus generally outwardly from the first to the second guide means and then inwardly from the latter to the receiver, and magnetic field structure encircling said yoke operative to produce a revolving magnetic field interconnecting with the same, whereby torque on the yoke tending to turn the same is developed.

5. In filament twisting and winding apparatus wherein a filament is fed axially toward a rotary receiver, a closed conductive loop arranged about the receiver and mounted freely for rotation about the axis of the same, said loop having a branch spaced laterally from the receiver, filament guide means mounted on said branch, and magnetic field structure encircling the loop operative to produce a revolving magnetic field interconnecting with the same, thereby to develop torque on the loop tending to rotate the same.

6. In a winding device including a rotary receiver, builder mechanism comprising a loop which extends in spaced relation about the receiver, a branch of said loop being substantially parallel to the receiver axis, a magnetizable strand guide carried by and slidable on such branch of the loop to traverse the periphery of the receiver, magnetic means operative to produce lines of force interconnecting with said guide, and means for reciprocating said magnetic means thereby to cause the guide to traverse and hence determine building of the winding on the receiver.

7. In a winding device including a rotary receiver, builder mechanism comprising a yoke including a closed conductive loop which extends about the receiver, said yoke having legs and a leg-connecting portion, a base to which the legs of said yoke are secured, one leg of the yoke being substantially parallel to the receiver axis, magnetizable strand guiding means reciprocable along such one leg of the yoke, and magnetic field producing means encircling the yoke and establishing lines of force which interconnect with said guiding means, said field producing means being reciprocable to move the guiding means relative to the receiver, thereby to control building of the winding on the same.

8. In a winding device including a rotary receiver, builder mechanism comprising a yoke having legs and a leg-connecting portion arranged about the receiver, a base to which the yoke legs are secured mounted for rotation on the receiver axis, magnetizable strand guiding means slidable along a leg of said yoke to traverse, in outwardly spaced relation, the periphery of the receiver, and magnetic means operative to produce a revolving field about the yoke, the yoke and base being conductive whereby such revolving field develops turning torque on the same, said magnetic means being reciprocable axially to provide and control traverse of the guiding means.

9. In a twisting and winding device including a strand receiver, a tubular conductive yoke including a closed conductive loop supported for rotation about the axis of the receiver, said yoke having legs and a leg-connecting portion, an axial strand guide carried by the leg connecting portion of said yoke, a further guide carried by a leg of the yokewith a portion thereof interiorly of such leg, said axial and further guides being operative to direct a strand in the device from the axial guide through an interior portion of such leg of the yoke to the further guide and then inwardly to the receiver, and magnetic means operative to produce a' field revolving about the yoke and thus inducing the same to rotate.

10. In a twisting and winding device including a strand receiver, a tubular yoke including a closed conductive loop supported for relative rotation about its longitudinal centerline with such centerline coinciding with the axis of the receiver, the yoke having legs and a leg-connecting portion spaced outwardly of the receiver, an axial strand guide carried by the leg connecting portion of said yoke, a further guide slidable along a leg of the yoke with a portion thereof interiorly of such leg, said axial and further guides being operative to direct a strand in the device from the axial guide through an interior portion of such leg of the yoke to the further guide and then inwardly to the receiver, said further guide being magnetizable, and axially reciprocable magnetic means having lines of force which interconnect with the further guide, whereby the latter is caused to move correspond ingly along the leg of the yoke.

11. In a twisting and winding device including a strand receiver, a tubular yoke supported for relative rotation about its longitudinal centerline with such centerline coinciding with the axis of the receiver, the yoke having legs and a leg-connecting portion spaced outwardly of the receiver, an axial strand guide carried by the leg-connecting portion of said yoke, a further guide supported for reciprocation on a leg of the yoke with a portion thereof interiorly of such leg, said axial and further guides being operative to direct a strand in the device from the axial guide through an interior portion of such leg of the yoke to the further guide and then inwardly to the receiver, and means for reciprocating the further guide on the leg of the yoke supporting the same to vary the position of said further guide relative to the receiver.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 630,567 Sawyer et al. Aug. 8, 1899 1,828,259 Schneider Oct. 20, 1931 1,987,344 Lepo Jan. 8, 1935 2,053,645 Weaver Sept. 8, 1936 2,570,007 Reynolds Oct. 2, 1951 2,571,267 Ljunggren Oct. 16, 1951 

